I came to read Anna's Dance: A Balkan Odyssey and was moved with the intensity of the story, in both the beautiful landscapes and foods of the Balkans, the time period of the late 60's and the interior landscape of Anna, and the journey she takes to herself. Read on for her writing journey, with just as many twists and turns.
The luscious food and dishes Anna encounters, ground the story in an extremely sensuous world. This scene depicts the where and how, Anna first learned about Balkan dancing, with one of her great-aunts in an over-stuffed Bronx flat, a few years before.
"Black-haired Armenian youths and octogenarians, all with the same strong-featured, handsome faces, had roamed among antiques and oriental rugs. A huge brass samovar in the center of a dark buffet, the air was thick with the scents of herbed roast lamb, garlicky yoghurt dips, and cognacs made from berries, cloves, and cardamom. When a whiny clarinet, high-pitched and sinuous, started playing, drums pulsing beneath its line, many rose, linked fingers, and began to dance."
Merci, Michele, for being willing to answer, reflect and contribute your story about writing your novel!!
Michele F. Levy. Author of "Anna's Dance: A Balkan Odyssey" (Click the Website Link to Order Your Copy.)
"The power of fiction is immense and of vital importance, especially now. I feel as if we are all in Plato’s cave. We need to find a way out, so that we can see what the world actually looks like."
When did you start writing and what motivated you?
I began writing fiction and poetry while a grad student at UNC. Doris Betts became a mentor when, as supervisor of the classes taught by TAs, she offered to read and comment on my work. She also suggested I audit a class with Daphne Athas, which I did. That was exciting. The assignments and class discussions let me tap into somewhere my PhD course work did not take me. But I gave up that pursuit when I began work on my thesis (and became a first-time mother), and then again when I secured an Assistant Professorship, both of which required rigorous research and academic writing, a whole different skill set.
Often the journey from being a writer to being a published novelist is a story in and of itself. Tell us about yours.
I wrote academic essays and chapters for years, publishing in scholarly journals and books, but never completely dismissed the idea of writing fiction and poetry. One day I was talking with a Greek math professor at my university who had danced with me at the local Greek festival and with whom I had shared stories of my trip there in 1968. She asked if I had thought about writing up a few. Somehow that planted a seed. A few months later, at a literary conference in Chicago, where fierce snow and wind off the lake that night kept me from venturing out with a group to a jazz venue, I wondered if I could capture a stored memory from one particular experience on that trip. I worked on the text for several hours, then saved it and revisited it when I came home. It seemed to me that I could smell and visualize the scene from the pages I had written. That made me wonder about the trip itself. So began an idea that remained latent for quite a while.
In 1998, I went to Crete with my husband for a physics conference. Even a record-setting heat wave could not prevent us from renting a car and going off to see the sights with another scientist. Along the way an interesting incident occurred. When that scientist won the Nobel Prize later that year, a German press put together a commemorative volume and we, along with others, were invited to contribute. I wrote a short piece about what had happened on Crete that day, which appears in the published volume. But it seemed to beckon a story— about a physics conference, Crete, Jews in the US and Crete, the Nazi occupation of Greece, and their eradication of Greek Jews. This was published in a small journal.
In the meantime, I had begun to scribble about my Balkan trip. Two journals published chapters from an early draft—though, interestingly, a Serb-American who has read both said that original haunted him more than the chapter in the published novel. As I told him, the earlier chapter was all in the protagonist’s head, filled with ruminations on genocide and the tragic side of Serbian history. But in the actual novel, that chapter had more to do than simply revisit the monument and revisit that history. It had to move forward the relationship between Anna and another central character. So the focus shifted somewhat from the Serbs.
Many drafts came later, based on my own itinerary and experience. But eventually I realized that Anna’s experience was no longer mine. She had grown separate from me; what would happen to her was not within my experience. I wondered where she went and what she did after leaving her hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria. I knew what I had done, of course. But….
On one of my daily walks, I began to see that she and Max had left my control, and suddenly I saw the mountains of Bulgaria, a new character, and an entirely new dimension to the novel.
Through several drafts, the text was a series of snapshots, non-linear in time and space. But one potential press felt that made the reader work too hard. Several presses found it beautiful but feared they could not market it. Then came years of unsuccessful agent-hunting. One wrote back to tell me I should have set it during the Bosnian crisis—it was too far back. I’m not sure if my queries ever reached actual agents or were dismissed by twenty-somethings for whom the time was ancient history, unlikely to yield market success.
But as a new member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, I recently discovered Black Rose Writing, a small independent press in Texas. Having nothing to lose, I queried them, they wrote back, and the rest is history.
Dubrovnik, the walled city of Game of Thrones and its harbor
Who are the writers who first inspired you to write and who are the writers you read now? What's changed?
The writers who always inspired me were Dostoevsky, D. H. Lawrence, Conrad, Hardy, Flaubert, Camus, Garcia-Lorca, Solzhenitsyn, with a side of John Le Carre, Graham Greene, Eric Ambler, and Mishima. All investigated what I took to be the central issues of human existence, but with marvelous prose and nuance—even those who wrote “genre” fiction. I stand by them today, and find it hard to read the current bestsellers, so many of which seem to have a short shelf-life.
I have also added to my list a number of postcolonial writers, e.g. Achebe, Rushdie, Amminata Forna, Allende, Garcia-Marquez, Vargas-Llosa, and many recent European and Balkan writers. So, too, America’s ethnic voices fascinate me, from indigenous writers like Erdrich, Silko, and Momaday to Nella Larson, Wright, Ellison, Baldwin, Morrison and the many who have emerged more recently. But I have bypassed much mainstream American literature beyond the realists and naturalists, Dreiser, Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald and West. I’m trying to make up for that now, reading Wallace Stegner, Walker Percy, Willa Cather, and so many others.
How important is 'everyday life' to your work?
Everyday life is vital to my work. My characters are immersed in its complexities. They float along in real life, trying to survive.
The author, Michele Levy, enjoying the moment.
Do you see your work in terms of literary traditions and/or broader cultural or political movements?
My work is probably most like modernism and realism— writing that strives to create and sustain a world like ours, which people like us attempt to navigate. As with many of those works, mine demand but reward patience and careful reading.
What aspect of writing and working as a writer is the most challenging?
I am used to the journey of writing— the endless drafting and editing— and I do believe in ‘the muse,’ that element at work in our subconscious that leads us to the next place or person. I remember waking up one morning during the process of writing the early draft of Anna and knowing that a new character had entered the text. I knew his name, what he looked like. What was he doing there? Where had he come from. Yet he proves vital to the text. Of course, a writer must stay open to the unknown.
For me, a far greater task is marketing, selling oneself and one’s product— something I have never had to learn or practice. My work has always stood by itself. Still, a book does not get read unless a reader knows it exists and that it might be a worthwhile read. Meanwhile, real life intervenes all too often, as it has for me. Covid and family traumas have interrupted whatever possible plans I might have made.
What genre is your fiction? Do you see yourself as changing genre or "branding" your work?
This genre issue is difficult. So, for example, Crime and Punishment is regarded as a classic work of Russian literature laden with heavy philosophical and religious overtones. Yet it is also a fabulous detective story. Anna is literary fiction, but also historical, a coming-of-age novel, a road story, a political thriller, and as some have suggested, a travelogue. To what genre does it belong? Literary historians debate the genre question for a living. I have no answer.
As for branding, I think I’m doing exactly the same thing with book two. It’s a ghost story-manqué, where the ghosts lie within, a psychological study, a look at Bosnian and Holocaust history, a chronicle of war, and a romance. Go figure.
The power of fiction is immense and of vital importance, especially now. I feel as if we are all in Plato’s cave. We need to find a way out, so that we can see what the world actually looks like.
Here is the Author's recipe inspired by her Novel.
Uncle Nick’s Stuffed Grape Vine Leaves (Dolmades) and Avgolemono Sauce
For the Dolmades, you will need:
1 jar grape vine leaves
1 lb lean ground beef or lamb
1 cup basmati rice
One onion, finely chopped
2 lemons
4 cups water or broth of your choice
¼ cup dried currants
2 tbps pine nuts (optional but good) *
Olive Oil
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tbs dill (I used fennel)
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp allspice
Salt
Pepper
- Rinse vine leaves, drain in colander (I used to lay mine out on paper towels to dry). Remove stems.
- Soak rice in water for 10 – 20 minutes
- Saute onion and pine nuts in olive oil
- In mixing bowl, combine ground meat, onions and pine nuts, rice and spices/herbs. (I liked to mix with my fingers. Gooey but assures all well blended).
- Prepare heavy cooking pot with lid by brushing bottom with olive oil and layering any broken grape leaves on the bottom, smooth side down, to prevent the dolmas from burning.
- Stuff vine leaves as if they were cigars. Smooth side down, folding and wrapping them (don’t overstuff, as mixture will expand in cooking. Maybe no more than a heaping teaspoon.), layering into the pot seam side down, in neat rows that fill the circumference of the pot.
- Place thin lemon slices over them.
- Put an inverted plate on top to keep them anchored.
- Boil the liquid (broth or water) and pour over the vine leaves up to, but not completely, covering the top layer.
- Place lid on pot. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed.
- Remove plate from top. Pour in juice of two lemons and add liquid as necessary. Recover, cook on low heat for another 30 to 45 minutes, until fully cooked. (Pour off the liquid for use in the avgolemono sauce.)
- Turn off heat. Let grape leaves sit for 20 – 30 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with olive oil.
For Agvolemono Sauce:
2 eggs
1 ½ - 2 lemons, juiced
The broth (or water) from the pot
- Beat eggs until frothy.
- Slowly add in pot liquid.
- Keep adding slowly and whisking constantly.
- When all liquid added, pour into another pot on the stove. Heat on medium-low till sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
The death of Cheddar, our rooster this week, triggered me back to a very introspective time. One time of extreme loss for me, and especially close at this time of year. I've been thinking of writing more about my Pennsylvania up-bringing, and though not remarkable in any way except to me, our family's rich connections and disconnections. Many people have written about their childhoods, in powerful ways, and I am looking for a pathway to do so. This path I found is filled with food and a wonderfully odd restaurant of the era that we frequented.
And so the story begins with my brother, Jeremy, and I who mostly, grew up on North Fourth Street in Reading during the Sixties and into the late Seventies.
The center of remembering comes from this Greek-owned restaurant on Penn Street in Reading, Pa. called The Crystal.
The Crystal. Right, don't you just love this name?
At The Crystal, there were gargantuan double birthday celebrations for Jeremy and me, as we were born five days apart. These April parties were held downstairs in the Crystal's French Cafe. I don't know what its official name was; perhaps the banquet area as they had a lot of private parties down there.
Jeremy and Me, maybe we were 8?
I have many memories about The Crystal but most importantly I believe that my appreciation and initial exposure to Restaurant and French Culture along with my love and fascination for kitchens and dining and how it all swirled together began at the Crystal Restaurant, with those very early birthday parties.
Yes, as far back as I can remember The Crystal was our family's place. It began as a average place where my mom took us for lunch. Mom was adamant about being called, Dr. Weiner, and she would pick Jeremy and me up from our Saturday morning dance classes at the Mickey Norton School of Dance on Penn Street and take us to the Crystal. Saturday lunch in the Crystal's dining room, was an experience that I looked forward the whole time I balanced precariously on my pink satin toes shoes while executing my best pirouette moves for Miss Pearl. For lunch, Jeremy always chose Welsh Rarebit and we always giggled when he ordered it. Welsh Rarebit was kind of like our secret, for we knew that the dish should actually be called by its rightful name, Welsh Rabbit, but the adults were too stupid to understand that. I often thought the adults around me were too stupid to understand what was really going on. For lunch I ordered spaghetti and meatballs, and never knew why I loved Italian food so much.
The Crystal developed into an even dearer memory as we grew old enough to enter The Lounge. When we sat down at the round table next to the bar, in The Lounge, my attention got divided between the piano player, the bartender, the waitresses scurrying through a pathway that led to the more sedate dining room (where we had lunch) and the coffee shop, luncheonette area where you entered The Crystal. The Crystal had all experiences covered. And so we enjoyed birthday parties, Saturday lunches, Saturday night dinners and Christmas Eve suppers in various rooms of the Crystal.
For Saturday night dinner, my grandmother, Nana, her friends called her Dot, ordered a Daiquiri no matter how many other choices were presented to her. One time she bent her rule and ordered a Strawberry Daiquiri, if you can believe it. Her favorite treat was the salad bar where they kept the seven sweets and sours. A highlight to her meal. As she got older, Jeremy often would bring her a plate of cottage cheese, cling peach halves, chow chow and spiced apple rings; and whatever else Nana wanted.
It was partly because of our waitress at those Saturday lunches, I believe her name was Marge - that I wanted to be a waitress at The Crystal. It was the summer that I turned eighteen when Mom spoke to her friend, the maître d, Danny, who made it possible. I worked most of the rooms in various split shifts. While my tables were usually laughing, it was more about my style of waitressing, than about my jokes. I enjoyed being on the other side of the table, but I was not experienced with the organization and logic it took to master serving and swerving, among a multitude of laughing crazy people. The night when a birthday cake lit with sparklers slid off the platter onto the birthday boy, I wondered about the wisdom of making waitressing my career. I cried my eyes out to the Puerto Rican salad maker in the kitchen because I was so ashamed, but when I finally returned to the table the birthday boy, who was seventy, sat me on his lap and gave me a big kiss for making him laugh so hard.
One day soon after I had started working, I left work and was crossing Penn Street to go shopping. It was strange to see my neighbor, Mr Hoffman, rushing across the street right towards me. He stopped me in the middle of Penn Street and told me that my dear brother, Jeremy, had just drowned at the Kernsville dam. I collapsed in the middle of Penn Street. After just a few weeks I returned to work, even though I was still in shock but pretended not to be in order to help Nana, and Mom who were weighed down by unbelievable sadness. The Crystal helped me stay afloat. I would go downstairs and sit in the empty room where our birthday parties had been. Danny brought me a plate of Welsh Rarebit but I couldn't eat it. Martha and George Mantis, the owners of the Crystal were exceedingly kind to me.
I don’t know if I ever got to thank them, truly. But without The Crystal that summer of 1974 I would have been even more lost.
Years later, I was heartbroken to learn about a Fire – one that burned down The Crystal. But nothing could char the memories that will live forever in me, along with the graciousness of Danny, Marge, and Martha and George Mantis and the love they all showed their customers, their hospitality, showmanship, and always, of course, their Welsh Rabbit.
And now I will have to find and make Welsh Rabbit. Do you have a great recipe you like?
In 2010 Taylor joined in whole-heartedly with our Carolina on My Pate program. Among the itinerary events was shrimp and grit-ing, pizza-making, portrait painting, and Anathoth garden cooking. Even then Taylor had a certain style. I would recognize her sweet smile anywhere!!!
Here's where she is now!
"Since C’est si Bon, I have graduated from Wake Forest in 2016 with a degree in Art History. I currently work at an auction house in Hillsborough. In September, I am moving to London to attend graduate school and get my masters in Art History. After school, I am hoping to be a museum curator specializing in Renaissance and Baroque art. Cooking and baking in particular, are still a huge part of my life. Although not part of my current career aspirations, I love coming home and being able to cook something delicious."
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| Taylor, today, on Lefty Living Life |
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| Taylor, broaches the topic of pink! |
Keep up with Taylor's scene by following her blog posts on Lefty Living Life, including a recent and very special trip to Rome to visit an art exhibition featuring an artist who greatly influenced her thesis!
"I love hot tea, good books, puppies and kittens, chocolate- who am I kidding...sweets in general, and Netflix. I also have an obsession with pink, high heels, and hats."
Lefty started as a creative outlet for me. It has continued to be that, but has also grown to be much more. I think that style and fashion are a reflection of your personality. I have always been interested in fashion, but that doesn't mean it's always easy for me to find something to wear that shows who I am.
The name comes from the fact that I am left-handed. Most people don't think about being right-handed or left-handed, but I have always identified very strongly as left-handed. It has become an important part of who I am and now it is an important part of this blog.
I hope you enjoy my adventures as much as I do. XO"
We do Taylor! And looking back at your entry essay, so many ingredients are already in place. Italy, culture, and cheese for one, or er, three!
Taylor's essay from 2010
The main benefit of cooking in another culture is learning about the culture that you are cooking in. Cooking is a big part of the culture of an area so when you cook in another culture, you are immersing yourself in the culture and learning about that culture. The cooking of a culture reflects that culture and the people who are a part of that culture and by cooking in it; you become a part of that culture. For example, the people in Italy eat lots of pasta and cheese.
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Taylor and Grace, 2010 |
If you look at these foods as reflecting the culture, then you could say that the pasta represents the warm weather and the warm natures of the people because pasta is warm. You can say that the cheese shows the diversity because there are lots of different people just like there are lots of different cheeses.
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Carolina on My Plate Crew 2010 |
Another main benefit of cooking in another culture is that not only do you immerse yourself in a different culture; you are also learning how to cook in a different way. Every culture is different which means that every culture has a different way of cooking. When you cook in another culture, you learn how the people of that culture cook. This helps the chef to learn more about a culture and also learn more about cooking in general.
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With Grace and Emily at Anathoth Community Garden |
The benefits of cooking in another culture are similar to the benefits of going to another country; you learn about how different people live and in this case cook. Through this experience, you also learn more about yourself because you learn about other people and possibly look inside and see something that you wouldn’t have seen before.
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Taylor shows off her work of art at Miel Bon-Bon in Durham! |
We can't wait to see where your art journey takes you next....
"I've included this chocolate cupcake recipe which is one of my favorite desserts and has been something I have loved since I was a kid. My mom got the recipe from her college roommate’s mom who would send these to them in college. They are simple and delicious. My favorite part is the chocolate chips inside. They are an unexpected crunch and add the perfect texture to the inside of the cupcakes."
In 2010 Taylor joined in whole-heartedly with our Carolina on My Pate program. Among the itinerary events was shrimp and grit-ing, pizza-making, portrait painting, and Anathoth garden cooking. Even then Taylor had a certain style. I would recognize her sweet smile anywhere!!!
Here's where she is now!
"Since C’est si Bon, I have graduated from Wake Forest in 2016 with a degree in Art History. I currently work at an auction house in Hillsborough. In September, I am moving to London to attend graduate school and get my masters in Art History. After school, I am hoping to be a museum curator specializing in Renaissance and Baroque art. Cooking and baking in particular, are still a huge part of my life. Although not part of my current career aspirations, I love coming home and being able to cook something delicious."
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| Taylor, today, on Lefty Living Life |
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| Taylor, broaches the topic of pink! |
Keep up with Taylor's scene by following her blog posts on Lefty Living Life, including a recent and very special trip to Rome to visit an art exhibition featuring an artist who greatly influenced her thesis!
"I love hot tea, good books, puppies and kittens, chocolate- who am I kidding...sweets in general, and Netflix. I also have an obsession with pink, high heels, and hats."
Lefty started as a creative outlet for me. It has continued to be that, but has also grown to be much more. I think that style and fashion are a reflection of your personality. I have always been interested in fashion, but that doesn't mean it's always easy for me to find something to wear that shows who I am.
The name comes from the fact that I am left-handed. Most people don't think about being right-handed or left-handed, but I have always identified very strongly as left-handed. It has become an important part of who I am and now it is an important part of this blog.
I hope you enjoy my adventures as much as I do. XO"
We do Taylor! And looking back at your entry essay, so many ingredients are already in place. Italy, culture, and cheese for one, or er, three!
Taylor's essay from 2010
The main benefit of cooking in another culture is learning about the culture that you are cooking in. Cooking is a big part of the culture of an area so when you cook in another culture, you are immersing yourself in the culture and learning about that culture. The cooking of a culture reflects that culture and the people who are a part of that culture and by cooking in it; you become a part of that culture. For example, the people in Italy eat lots of pasta and cheese.
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Taylor and Grace, 2010 |
If you look at these foods as reflecting the culture, then you could say that the pasta represents the warm weather and the warm natures of the people because pasta is warm. You can say that the cheese shows the diversity because there are lots of different people just like there are lots of different cheeses.
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Carolina on My Plate Crew 2010 |
Another main benefit of cooking in another culture is that not only do you immerse yourself in a different culture; you are also learning how to cook in a different way. Every culture is different which means that every culture has a different way of cooking. When you cook in another culture, you learn how the people of that culture cook. This helps the chef to learn more about a culture and also learn more about cooking in general.
|
|
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With Grace and Emily at Anathoth Community Garden |
The benefits of cooking in another culture are similar to the benefits of going to another country; you learn about how different people live and in this case cook. Through this experience, you also learn more about yourself because you learn about other people and possibly look inside and see something that you wouldn’t have seen before.
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Taylor shows off her work of art at Miel Bon-Bon in Durham! |
We can't wait to see where your art journey takes you next....
"I've included this chocolate cupcake recipe which is one of my favorite desserts and has been something I have loved since I was a kid. My mom got the recipe from her college roommate’s mom who would send these to them in college. They are simple and delicious. My favorite part is the chocolate chips inside. They are an unexpected crunch and add the perfect texture to the inside of the cupcakes."
Thanks for joining the continuing series on our Teen-Chef Alumni and discover Where Are They Now?
I invite you to catch up on Nora, Elijah, Maya, Jonathan, Cary, and Grace
As well as learn more about my son, Erick, co-leader and instructor of our very talented Summer Taste Team!
Please meet another member of the C'est si Bon! Team of whom we are very fond, Jeremy Salamon!
You can follow him on Instagram @jeremycooks of @agiscafe
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| Jeremy in 2008 |
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| Jeremy is still Hungary. Hungary for change. |
If you are in NY you do not want to miss this!! Visit fond soon for the menus! You can follow him on Instagram @jeremycooks of @fondnyc
Thanks for joining the continuing series on our Teen-Chef Alumni and discover Where Are They Now?
I invite you to catch up on Nora, Elijah, Maya, Jonathan, Cary, and Grace
As well as learn more about my son, Erick, co-leader and instructor of our very talented Summer Taste Team!
Please meet another member of the C'est si Bon! Team of whom we are very fond, Jeremy Salamon!
You can follow him on Instagram @jeremycooks of @agiscafe
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| Jeremy in 2008 |
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| Jeremy is still Hungary. Hungary for change. |
If you are in NY you do not want to miss this!! Visit fond soon for the menus! You can follow him on Instagram @jeremycooks of @fondnyc
Thanks for joining the continuing series on our Teen-Chef Alumni and discover Where Are They Now?
I invite you to catch up on Nora, Elijah, Maya, Jonathan, and Cary.
As well as learn more about Erick, co-leader and instructor of our very talented Summer Taste Team!
Grace takes her joy of cooking with her wherever she goes!
"At its root, cooking is a joyous act of love and service that is incredibly rewarding--especially when shared with others. It is also a bit of everything: a way to commemorate past traditions and a way to explore the world, a science and an art, ancient and modern, and commonplace yet extraordinary."
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Grace Lutfy in DC |
I am excited to share Grace's story with you!
Grace Lutfy was the first teen to arrive at RDU airport for Carolina on My Plate that summer. Her curiosity led her from Michigan to search out this experience, and as she went through the week, she gained comfort in a new kitchen, and all the kitchens we worked in. Whether at Fickle Creek Farm, Anathoth Community Gardens, the Carrboro Farmer's Market, Sunshine Lavender Farms or at C'est si Bon!
But the kitchen was a place that Grace already loved, and where she had a strong family food and cooking connection that stretches over the Mediterranean. And still does.
This was her essay:
"I think the life benefits of knowing how to cook are… numerous. Knowing how to cook is a valuable skill that many people are taking for granted lately. It is a rarity now, with all of the new fast food chains springing up along with the overextension of people trying to do too many things at once. Food and the meal have lost their importance in modern-day society, so learning how to be a good cook would empower me and strengthen me because I could be set apart from the rest of society and be able to raise myself on my own, without depending on restaurants and other people to feed me.
Another benefit that learning how to cook has to offer is that if I was to learn how to cook well, I could teach others and those others could teach more people, and so on. It is a tool that allows people to be creative, have fun, enjoy themselves, and learn new things about the world around them. It can familiarize people with different cultures around the world and bring people together. It can change people’s lifestyles and encourage others to try new things and go outside of their comfort zone.
I love food and all of the variety it has to offer. Once these benefits are put to use, I’ll feel stronger and more independent. The life benefits of learning how to cook are too numerous to count, and I would love to learn how to cook to better the lives of myself and others around me."
And so where is Grace today? Here's where!
I graduated from the University of Michigan last year and received a BA in Public Policy with a focus in international security—or international relations and national security issues. Through my program, I was able to study multiple languages, various regions around the world, the challenges we face, and ways to solve them. I was even able to travel to Greece and take a course about the Anthropology of Food and the Mediterranean Diet. Now, I am in Washington, DC, looking for work in my field and keeping my passions for cooking and food alive. Luckily, it isn’t hard when there is so much to learn, new recipes and techniques to try, and amazing restaurants in the area for exploring new flavors!
I aspire to better understand the world’s history, people, cultures, and movements. My experiences and studies have allowed me to learn so much about these things and more easily connect with any person I meet. Aside from all of this, they have also led me to learn more about myself, my family, my culture, and my history as a Chaldean, Lebanese, and Syrian Detroiter. On an everyday basis, I would say meaningful interactions give me a sense of satisfaction—whether it is helping someone, meeting someone new, talking to an old friend, keeping up with family, cooking for and with others, or sharing a meal. No matter where the future takes me, I know I will have my love for cooking and food. I always have, and I always will.
Grace was recently in Sicily with her mom and sister, who lives there, and they took a pasta-making class at a local pasta shop.
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Grace and her sister, Katrina, in Sicily, |
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Grace contributing to the ricotta and spinach filling for the tortellini! |
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Grace's sister, Katrina. |
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Katrina and Grace's mom, Michelle, with Guiseppe and Andree. |
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Katrina, Grace and Michelle, with their Italian instructors, Guiseppe and Andree, holding "certificates" after completing the class. |
Grace says, "Class was very tasty and very fun!"
Merci, Grace for spending time with us again. We can't wait to see where you are headed, but where you are is a delicious place.
Who will be next? Join us for the next post on our Teen-Chef Alumni.
Tortellini di Ricotta e Spinachi ~ Tortellini with Ricotta and Spinach Served with a Cremini Mushroom Sauce
this tortellini is from the C’est si Bon! recipe vaults of 2003, when we made a lot of pasta dishes in the school. Long before the whole no carb low carb no gluten craze.
pasta is still very satisfying. but if you are on a no gluten diet, you might try making little bundles with collards or swiss chard.
filling:
4 shallots, finely chopped
1 large handful fresh spinach, shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ tsp. dried or 1 tsp. fresh oregano and thyme, chopped fine
1/2 pound whole or part-skim ricotta
1 t. pine nuts, chopped
3 tablespoon fresh grated parmesan cheese
sauté the shallots, garlic and spinach in the olive oil, add in the ricotta, the chopped pine nuts, and the parmesan.
store in the refrigerator until ready to roll.
pasta:
3-4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
sauce:
2 tablespoon each olive oil and butter
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
½ bulb of fennel, coarsely chopped
3 cups fresh mushrooms, your choice, coarsely chopped
1-2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup each fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, chopped
½ cup red wine or ¼ cup red wine or balsamic vinegar
1 –2 cups chicken or veg stock
in a heavy pot heat the oil over medium heat. add the onions, then the garlic, the fennel, and the herbs. sauté these, stirring and tossing, for 7-8 minutes, or until softened. remove to a bowl and reserve. add the butter to the pan, and saute the mushrooms. add the flour and stir till incorporated, then deglaze with the wine or vinegar, scaring up any browned bits of vegetables. add the reserved garlic mixture and the stock and bring to a boil. taste ad season with salt and pepper. simmer for 30 minutes.
making pasta:
to make the pasta without the aid of a food processor, mound the flour on a smooth work surface. make a well in the center of the flour and break the eggs into it. (remove the shells, please!) add a generous pinch of the salt and the olive oil. with one hand gradually incorporate the flour from around the edge of the well into the eggs, stirring with your fingers to form a doughy batter. use the other hand to support the edge of the flour well and prevent the eggs from flowing out. continue incorporating the flour until the batter feels fairly stiff but still pliable. if it still feels too soft, work in a bit more flour, until the needed consistency is reached. i truly believe its easier to make pasta this way because you can control the amount of flour and get a better consistency.
rolling pasta:
divide the dough into fist-size portions. when you're ready to roll, flatten this portion slightly, and fully open the rollers. flour the flattened dough and pass it between the rollers. fold the rolled sheet into thirds and turn it 90 degrees before passing it through again. repeat the folding, flouring, and rolling process four or five times, until the dough is smooth. reduce the setting by one notch and pass the dough through again. continue taking the machine down a notch until the pasta sheet is thin enough to see your hand through when held up to the light. now you're ready to get the tortellini in shape.
shaping tortellini:
use a 3" inch biscuit cutter or a well-floured rim of an upside down glass to stamp out circles from the sheet of dough. in the center of the circles, place a teaspoon of the filling. using a small pastry brush or your fingers, moisten the edge with water. fold the circle of dough in half and press the edges to seal them and form a half moon shape. you can stop here, or go on to make tortellini. grasp each half moon, fold up the lower sealed edge to form a cuff, and pinch these curled ends together at the same time to make the familiar tortellini shape. set these aside on a lightly floured surface or sheet pan to dry a little before cooking, maybe half an hour. usually this is no problem, as you roll more, the first ones dry as you become knee deep in tortellini, then as you begin to cook them, the last ones have a chance to dry.
cooking tortellini:
bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the stuffed pasta, and cook al dente, about five minutes. drain and serve with your chosen sauce.
I peeked at the lemon tree, and thought I had picked them all, but then saw it. One little lemon left. What should we do with it?
The care and feeding of C'est si Bon! Cooking School involves more than testing recipes, keeping the kitchen up and running, and unfrozen in the winter, and shopping for ingredients for classes.
As with any small business there's the inside part; a web-site, and daily emails, and social media. I do think sometimes its hard to see all of the parts, if its shady or sunny, or a tree is down. It's always changing which is a good thing, and a challenge too.
And then there's the outside part of the farm that is C'est si Bon! Each chapter enjoys its own story; of work, joy, and transformation.
There's weeding and caring for our garden. It will soon be time to harvest the collards which are doing great. And with that harvest comes the weeding and readying the beds for summer.
There's the daily feeding of 5 hens, who are down from 10 hens ~ no thanks to a possum ~ but now that possum has been dispatched.
There is watering and soaking and harvesting shitake mushroom logs, and the occasional take down of a white oak or sweet gum tree that has passed on, and yet might make a good fertile ground for new mushroom logs.
One of the winter joys is the care of a lemon, key lime, and a bay laurel tree that we roll in and out from the back deck into the tv room. Carefully.
 |
| Our Lemon Tree. |
 |
| Limoncello in the making. |
Our lemon tree has a long history. I bought it on a whim one year for my husband, Rich's, birthday from a nearby garden shop in Carrboro, Southern States.
Rich wasted not a moment in taking the little tree under his wing to nurture and grow. This involved measuring the soil, its composition, temperature, content, and soon a water schedule was set up, as well as an occasional pollination schedule of the sweet flowers in February with a q-tip.
When its sunny and warm as it was last week, the tree gets rolled outside.
Over the years the tree has spread and been moved to new and bigger pots, and sometimes, in the winter, under ultra-violet growing lights of a spectrum and color. (Can you tell I am on the outside of the details?)
As Chapel Hill is in a freeze right now, the trees are rolled in, and huddle together in the entertainment room! We're lucky to have the ability to bring our lemon trees inside.
Like many of of the farm operations around here, this rolling rigmarole has been modified and transformed. It used to be a bit of a disaster as it required coordination with neighbors and friends, and strapping on of weight-lifting belts so there could be groaning and lifting of heavy pots. Pots that grew larger every year.
All of his care has resulted in a bounty of lemons which are a real sensory pleasure to hold. The thin-skinned Meyer Lemons leave their sweet scent on your fingers.
This year we invited family over to pick!
 |
| The Limoncello Begun. |
 |
| Cousins, Picking and Peeling Lemons. |
We've used the lemons in every way; salty and sweet, and in a lamb dish we love, for when winter is still hanging on.
There is one lemon left on the tree. What should we do with it? Send me your ideas!
Sweet Lemon Curd from C’est si Bon!
Wouldn't it be loverly to keep a supply of half-pint jars of this wonderful stuff on hand to bring out at the mere mention of company for brunch? It's great for miniature tarts, as a spread for just-baked muffins, between cookies or on the tip of your finger.
makes 2 half pints
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
3 meyer lemons, juiced (you should get a generous 1/2 cup. make sure to strain it, to ensure you get all the seeds)
zest from the juiced lemons
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into chunks
in a small, heavy bottom pot over medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. add the lemon juice and zest and switch to stirring with a wooden spoon, so as not to aerate the curd.
stir continually for 10-15 minutes, adjusting the heat as you go to ensure that it does not boil.
your curd is done when it has thickened and coats the back of the spoon. when you determine that it's finished, drop in the butter and stir until melted.
pour the curd into two prepared half pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. if you want to process them for shelf stability, process them in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes (start the time when the water returns to a boil).
 |
| Preserving Lemons |
 |
| Stuffing with Salt |
 |
| Preserved Lemons |
Salty Moroccan Preserved Lemons – from David Lebowitz
12 lemons
6-8 bay leaves
4 cayenne peppers
scrub the lemons with a vegetable brush and dry them off.
cut off the little rounded bit at the stem end if there’s a hard little piece of the stem attached. from the other end of the lemon, make a large cut by slicing lengthwise downward, stopping about 1-inch (3 cm) from the bottom, then making another downward slice, so you’ve incised the lemon with an x shape.
pack coarse salt into the lemon where you made the incisions. don’t be skimpy with the salt: use about 1 tablespoon per lemon.
put the salt-filled lemons in a clean, large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. add a few coriander seeds, a bay leaf, a dried chili, and a cinnamon stick if you want. (or a combination of any of them.)
press the lemons very firmly in the jar to get the juices flowing. cover and let stand overnight.
the next day do the same, pressing the lemons down, encouraging them to release more juice as they start to soften. repeat for a 2-3 days until the lemons are completely covered with liquid. if your lemons aren’t too juicy, add more freshly-squeezed lemon juice until they are submerged, as I generally have to do.
after one month, when the preserved lemons are soft, they’re ready to use. store the lemons in the refrigerator, where they’ll keep for at least 6 months. rinse before using to remove excess salt.
to use: remove lemons from the liquid and rinse. split in half and scrape out the pulp. slice the lemon peels into thin strips or cut into small dices. you may wish to press the pulp through a sieve to obtain the tasty juice, which can be used for flavoring as well, then discard the innards.
Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Berebere and Preserved Lemon
for the lamb:
1 (2.2-pound) shoulder of lfarm-raised amb, locally we love the lamb from Fickle Creek Farm
¼ cup coconut oil
freshly ground black pepper and crushed fennel seed
1 cup chicken stock and ½ cup preserved lemon
for the vegetables:1 1/2 pounds peeled potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, sliced thick
for the sauce:1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups good-quality hot chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
for the vegetables: remove the lamb from the oven and place it on a chopping board. cover it with foil, then a kitchen towel, and leave it to rest. add the potatoes, onions, and greens to the cast iron pan. return to the oven for 30 minutes.
I peeked at the lemon tree, and thought I had picked them all, but then saw it. One little lemon left. What should we do with it?
The care and feeding of C'est si Bon! Cooking School involves more than testing recipes, keeping the kitchen up and running, and unfrozen in the winter, and shopping for ingredients for classes.
As with any small business there's the inside part; a web-site, and daily emails, and social media. I do think sometimes its hard to see all of the parts, if its shady or sunny, or a tree is down. It's always changing which is a good thing, and a challenge too.
And then there's the outside part of the farm that is C'est si Bon! Each chapter enjoys its own story; of work, joy, and transformation.
There's weeding and caring for our garden. It will soon be time to harvest the collards which are doing great. And with that harvest comes the weeding and readying the beds for summer.
There's the daily feeding of 5 hens, who are down from 10 hens ~ no thanks to a possum ~ but now that possum has been dispatched.
There is watering and soaking and harvesting shitake mushroom logs, and the occasional take down of a white oak or sweet gum tree that has passed on, and yet might make a good fertile ground for new mushroom logs.
One of the winter joys is the care of a lemon, key lime, and a bay laurel tree that we roll in and out from the back deck into the tv room. Carefully.
|
| Our Lemon Tree. |
|
| Limoncello in the making. |
Our lemon tree has a long history. I bought it on a whim one year for my husband, Rich's, birthday from a nearby garden shop in Carrboro, Southern States.
Rich wasted not a moment in taking the little tree under his wing to nurture and grow. This involved measuring the soil, its composition, temperature, content, and soon a water schedule was set up, as well as an occasional pollination schedule of the sweet flowers in February with a q-tip.
When its sunny and warm as it was last week, the tree gets rolled outside.
Over the years the tree has spread and been moved to new and bigger pots, and sometimes, in the winter, under ultra-violet growing lights of a spectrum and color. (Can you tell I am on the outside of the details?)
As Chapel Hill is in a freeze right now, the trees are rolled in, and huddle together in the entertainment room! We're lucky to have the ability to bring our lemon trees inside.
Like many of of the farm operations around here, this rolling rigmarole has been modified and transformed. It used to be a bit of a disaster as it required coordination with neighbors and friends, and strapping on of weight-lifting belts so there could be groaning and lifting of heavy pots. Pots that grew larger every year.
All of his care has resulted in a bounty of lemons which are a real sensory pleasure to hold. The thin-skinned Meyer Lemons leave their sweet scent on your fingers.
This year we invited family over to pick!
|
| The Limoncello Begun. |
|
| Cousins, Picking and Peeling Lemons. |
We've used the lemons in every way; salty and sweet, and in a lamb dish we love, for when winter is still hanging on.
There is one lemon left on the tree. What should we do with it? Send me your ideas!
Sweet Lemon Curd from C’est si Bon!
Wouldn't it be loverly to keep a supply of half-pint jars of this wonderful stuff on hand to bring out at the mere mention of company for brunch? It's great for miniature tarts, as a spread for just-baked muffins, between cookies or on the tip of your finger.
makes 2 half pints
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
3 meyer lemons, juiced (you should get a generous 1/2 cup. make sure to strain it, to ensure you get all the seeds)
zest from the juiced lemons
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into chunks
in a small, heavy bottom pot over medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. add the lemon juice and zest and switch to stirring with a wooden spoon, so as not to aerate the curd.
stir continually for 10-15 minutes, adjusting the heat as you go to ensure that it does not boil.
your curd is done when it has thickened and coats the back of the spoon. when you determine that it's finished, drop in the butter and stir until melted.
pour the curd into two prepared half pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. if you want to process them for shelf stability, process them in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes (start the time when the water returns to a boil).
|
| Preserving Lemons |
|
| Stuffing with Salt |
|
| Preserved Lemons |
Salty Moroccan Preserved Lemons – from David Lebowitz
12 lemons
6-8 bay leaves
4 cayenne peppers
scrub the lemons with a vegetable brush and dry them off.
cut off the little rounded bit at the stem end if there’s a hard little piece of the stem attached. from the other end of the lemon, make a large cut by slicing lengthwise downward, stopping about 1-inch (3 cm) from the bottom, then making another downward slice, so you’ve incised the lemon with an x shape.
pack coarse salt into the lemon where you made the incisions. don’t be skimpy with the salt: use about 1 tablespoon per lemon.
put the salt-filled lemons in a clean, large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. add a few coriander seeds, a bay leaf, a dried chili, and a cinnamon stick if you want. (or a combination of any of them.)
press the lemons very firmly in the jar to get the juices flowing. cover and let stand overnight.
the next day do the same, pressing the lemons down, encouraging them to release more juice as they start to soften. repeat for a 2-3 days until the lemons are completely covered with liquid. if your lemons aren’t too juicy, add more freshly-squeezed lemon juice until they are submerged, as I generally have to do.
after one month, when the preserved lemons are soft, they’re ready to use. store the lemons in the refrigerator, where they’ll keep for at least 6 months. rinse before using to remove excess salt.
to use: remove lemons from the liquid and rinse. split in half and scrape out the pulp. slice the lemon peels into thin strips or cut into small dices. you may wish to press the pulp through a sieve to obtain the tasty juice, which can be used for flavoring as well, then discard the innards.
Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Berebere and Preserved Lemon
for the lamb:
1 (2.2-pound) shoulder of lfarm-raised amb, locally we love the lamb from Fickle Creek Farm
¼ cup coconut oil
freshly ground black pepper and crushed fennel seed
1 cup chicken stock and ½ cup preserved lemon
for the vegetables:1 1/2 pounds peeled potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, sliced thick
for the sauce:1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups good-quality hot chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
for the vegetables: remove the lamb from the oven and place it on a chopping board. cover it with foil, then a kitchen towel, and leave it to rest. add the potatoes, onions, and greens to the cast iron pan. return to the oven for 30 minutes.
I peeked at the lemon tree, and thought I had picked them all, but then saw it. One little lemon left. What should we do with it?
The care and feeding of C'est si Bon! Cooking School involves more than testing recipes, keeping the kitchen up and running, and unfrozen in the winter, and shopping for ingredients for classes.
As with any small business there's the inside part; a web-site, and daily emails, and social media. I do think sometimes its hard to see all of the parts, if its shady or sunny, or a tree is down. It's always changing which is a good thing, and a challenge too.
And then there's the outside part of the farm that is C'est si Bon! Each chapter enjoys its own story; of work, joy, and transformation.
There's weeding and caring for our garden. It will soon be time to harvest the collards which are doing great. And with that harvest comes the weeding and readying the beds for summer.
There's the daily feeding of 5 hens, who are down from 10 hens ~ no thanks to a possum ~ but now that possum has been dispatched.
There is watering and soaking and harvesting shitake mushroom logs, and the occasional take down of a white oak or sweet gum tree that has passed on, and yet might make a good fertile ground for new mushroom logs.
One of the winter joys is the care of a lemon, key lime, and a bay laurel tree that we roll in and out from the back deck into the tv room. Carefully.
|
| Our Lemon Tree. |
|
| Limoncello in the making. |
Our lemon tree has a long history. I bought it on a whim one year for my husband, Rich's, birthday from a nearby garden shop in Carrboro, Southern States.
Rich wasted not a moment in taking the little tree under his wing to nurture and grow. This involved measuring the soil, its composition, temperature, content, and soon a water schedule was set up, as well as an occasional pollination schedule of the sweet flowers in February with a q-tip.
When its sunny and warm as it was last week, the tree gets rolled outside.
Over the years the tree has spread and been moved to new and bigger pots, and sometimes, in the winter, under ultra-violet growing lights of a spectrum and color. (Can you tell I am on the outside of the details?)
As Chapel Hill is in a freeze right now, the trees are rolled in, and huddle together in the entertainment room! We're lucky to have the ability to bring our lemon trees inside.
Like many of of the farm operations around here, this rolling rigmarole has been modified and transformed. It used to be a bit of a disaster as it required coordination with neighbors and friends, and strapping on of weight-lifting belts so there could be groaning and lifting of heavy pots. Pots that grew larger every year.
All of his care has resulted in a bounty of lemons which are a real sensory pleasure to hold. The thin-skinned Meyer Lemons leave their sweet scent on your fingers.
This year we invited family over to pick!
|
| The Limoncello Begun. |
|
| Cousins, Picking and Peeling Lemons. |
We've used the lemons in every way; salty and sweet, and in a lamb dish we love, for when winter is still hanging on.
There is one lemon left on the tree. What should we do with it? Send me your ideas!
Sweet Lemon Curd from C’est si Bon!
Wouldn't it be loverly to keep a supply of half-pint jars of this wonderful stuff on hand to bring out at the mere mention of company for brunch? It's great for miniature tarts, as a spread for just-baked muffins, between cookies or on the tip of your finger.
makes 2 half pints
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
3 meyer lemons, juiced (you should get a generous 1/2 cup. make sure to strain it, to ensure you get all the seeds)
zest from the juiced lemons
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into chunks
in a small, heavy bottom pot over medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. add the lemon juice and zest and switch to stirring with a wooden spoon, so as not to aerate the curd.
stir continually for 10-15 minutes, adjusting the heat as you go to ensure that it does not boil.
your curd is done when it has thickened and coats the back of the spoon. when you determine that it's finished, drop in the butter and stir until melted.
pour the curd into two prepared half pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. if you want to process them for shelf stability, process them in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes (start the time when the water returns to a boil).
|
| Preserving Lemons |
|
| Stuffing with Salt |
|
| Preserved Lemons |
Salty Moroccan Preserved Lemons – from David Lebowitz
12 lemons
6-8 bay leaves
4 cayenne peppers
scrub the lemons with a vegetable brush and dry them off.
cut off the little rounded bit at the stem end if there’s a hard little piece of the stem attached. from the other end of the lemon, make a large cut by slicing lengthwise downward, stopping about 1-inch (3 cm) from the bottom, then making another downward slice, so you’ve incised the lemon with an x shape.
pack coarse salt into the lemon where you made the incisions. don’t be skimpy with the salt: use about 1 tablespoon per lemon.
put the salt-filled lemons in a clean, large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. add a few coriander seeds, a bay leaf, a dried chili, and a cinnamon stick if you want. (or a combination of any of them.)
press the lemons very firmly in the jar to get the juices flowing. cover and let stand overnight.
the next day do the same, pressing the lemons down, encouraging them to release more juice as they start to soften. repeat for a 2-3 days until the lemons are completely covered with liquid. if your lemons aren’t too juicy, add more freshly-squeezed lemon juice until they are submerged, as I generally have to do.
after one month, when the preserved lemons are soft, they’re ready to use. store the lemons in the refrigerator, where they’ll keep for at least 6 months. rinse before using to remove excess salt.
to use: remove lemons from the liquid and rinse. split in half and scrape out the pulp. slice the lemon peels into thin strips or cut into small dices. you may wish to press the pulp through a sieve to obtain the tasty juice, which can be used for flavoring as well, then discard the innards.
Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Berebere and Preserved Lemon
for the lamb:
1 (2.2-pound) shoulder of lfarm-raised amb, locally we love the lamb from Fickle Creek Farm
¼ cup coconut oil
freshly ground black pepper and crushed fennel seed
1 cup chicken stock and ½ cup preserved lemon
for the vegetables:1 1/2 pounds peeled potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, sliced thick
for the sauce:1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups good-quality hot chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
for the vegetables: remove the lamb from the oven and place it on a chopping board. cover it with foil, then a kitchen towel, and leave it to rest. add the potatoes, onions, and greens to the cast iron pan. return to the oven for 30 minutes.